Beginner's Guide to Modern American Mahjong

American Mahjong is a fascinating game of skill, strategy, and chance that has captivated players for generations. Whether you're new to the game or looking to refine your understanding, this guide will walk you through the essentials of American Mahjong, from the tiles used to the rules that govern play. By the end of this article, you'll be well-equipped to enjoy this engaging pastime.

Tiles to Play American Mahjong With

An American Mahjong set consists of 152 tiles, which are divided into several categories:

Suited Tiles

These tiles are numbered from 1 to 9 and are divided into three suits:

• Craks (Characters): Represented by Chinese characters. There are four of each tile numbered 1 through 9, totaling 36 tiles.
• Bams (Bamboos): Illustrated with bamboo sticks. There are four of each tile numbered 1 through 9, totaling 36 tiles.
• Dots (Circles): Depicted with circles. There are four of each tile numbered 1 through 9, totaling 36 tiles.

Honor Tiles

Honor tiles include winds and dragons:

• Wind Tiles: North (N), East (E), South (S), and West (W). There are four of each, totaling 16 wind tiles.
• Dragon Tiles: Red Dragons, Green Dragons, and White Dragons (often called "Soaps"). There are four of each, totaling 12 dragon tiles.

Flowers and Jokers

• Flowers: There are eight flower tiles, which are often used as bonus tiles.
• Jokers: There are eight jokers tiles in an American Mahjong set. Jokers act as wildcards and can substitute for other tiles under certain conditions.

Tip: Familiarize yourself with the look and feel of each tile category especially with American mahjong sets. Often times American mahjongg sets could often be more ornate or resemble rummy sets. This will speed up your gameplay and help you make quicker decisions.

Basic Rules of American Mahjong

The objective of American Mahjong is to be the first player to form a hand that matches one of the specific combinations listed on one of the Mahjong Cards. Typically most people play with the National Mah Jongg League (NMJL) card, and the downside of the card is that the NMJL publishes a new card each year, which details all the valid hands for that year. You can always use the Mahjong Pros (MPROS) Card that is always free here.

Every turn goes the same way:

1. Draw a tile from the wall or by take the tile that somebody just discarded
2. Try to make a winning hand! The goal is to arrange your tiles into a combination that matches a combination on the Mahjong Card (NMJL or MPROS Card). If you can't, go to step 3.
3. Discard a tile in the center of the table, officially ending your turn.
4. Immediately after a tile is discarded, someone else can take it to form a meld or to complete their winning hand. If nobody takes the discarded tile, that tile is out of play for the rest of the game and the next player draws from the wall.

By default, the next player is the player to the right (counterclockwise). Even if it is not your turn yet, this is not a time to sit idle. Although the next person is the player to the right by default, there are certain circumstances that allow somebody to jump ahead to call a discarded tile. Also, even if you are unable to call the tile, it is important for you to know what is thrown and what is out of play, so that you are not waiting for it in vain later on.

Basic Tile Combinations

• Pair: Two identical tiles.
• Pung: Three identical tiles.
• Kong: Four identical tiles.
• Quint: Five identical tiles, which requires the use of jokers.
• Single: A standalone tile, often used in special hands like the "Year" hands.

Important: Jokers cannot be used to complete singles or pairs. They can only be used in pungs, kongs, or quints.

How to Set Up American Mahjong

Building the Wall

1. Shuffle the Tiles: Place all 152 tiles face down on the table and mix them thoroughly.
2. Construct the Walls: Each player builds a wall in front of their position. The wall is 19 tiles long and two tiles high, forming a solid wall of tiles.
3. Form a Square: Push the walls together to form a square in the center of the table.

Determining the Dealer (East)

1. Select East: Players roll dice, and the highest roller becomes "East," the dealer.
2. Breaking the Wall: East rolls the dice again to determine where to break the wall for dealing. Count the total of the dice and break the wall at that position, counting from the right end of East's wall.

Dealing the Tiles

1. Initial Distribution: East takes four tiles (two stacks of two) from the wall immediately after the break. The other players, moving counterclockwise, do the same until each player has **12 tiles**.
2. Final Tiles: East picks one more tile and draws one for their first turn, the other players pick one more tile each.
3. Tile Count: East starts with 14 tiles, all other players have 13 tiles.

Note: East will discard a tile to begin play, bringing their hand down to 13 tiles like the other players.

The Charleston

One of the main differences between the American Style Mahjong and the other Mahjong Styles is a unique element called the Charleston. The Charleston is basically series of tile exchanges among the players. This creates opportunities to get rid of tiles that the players do not want by passing them to other players during the Charleston.

To begin with the Charleston, where there are rounds where each player chooses three tiles to discard in exchange for tiles from other players.

Note: that Jokers cannot be passed during the Charleston.

The Charleston is played in R-O-L-L-O-R order. Right Over Left, then Left Over Right. At the end of the first Left Charleston (R-O-L), On the pass to the left they may choose to blind pass. They may also blind pass on the final Right Charleston (L-O-R).

The Charleston is divided into three stages: First Charleston (required), Second Charleston (optional), Courtesy Pass (option). Let's look at each stages in more details:

First Charleston

First Charleston is a required step, even if a player has drawn a complete set of hand from the wall. This step consists of three passes:

• 1st pass - each player passes three tiles to the player on the right.
• 2nd pass - each player passes three tiles to the player across (Over from you).
• 3rd pass - each player passes three tiles to the player on the left. For this step, a player may choose to perform "Blind Pass" -- players may take one, two, or three tiles that being passed to them and pass them to the player on the left without looking at the tiles.

Second Charleston

The Second Charleston is optional and can be performed only when ALL players agree. This step consists of three passes:

• 1st Pass - each player passes three tiles to the player on the left.
• 2nd pass - each player passes three tiles to the player across.
• 3rd pass - each player passes three tiles to the player on the right. For this step, a player may choose to perform "Blind Pass".

Courtesy Pass (Third Mini-Charleston)

After the First Charleston and/or Second Charleston have been completed, two players who sit across from on another may want to perform one last pass. In this step, one, two or three tiles may be passed, based upon the lesser tile request. Thus, if a player does not want to exchange any tiles, then there will be no courtesy pass performed between this particular player and the player across.

Once all the Charleston steps are completed, the game is ready to start!

Getting a Tile

Drawing from the Wall

• On Your Turn: Draw one tile from the end of the wall (to the right) and add it to your hand.
• Tile Arrangement: Keep your tiles organized on your rack (or standing up if your tiles can support themselves), hidden from other players.

Calling a Discarded Tile

• Opportunity to Call: If another player discards a tile you need to complete a pung, kong, or quint, you can **call** it.
• How to Call:
• Announce "Call" before the next player draws a tile.
• Place the called tile with the matching tiles from your hand face-up on your rack.
• This forms an **exposure** and must match the combination rules on the NMJL or MPRO card.
• Restrictions:
• You cannot call a tile to complete a pair unless it completes your entire hand (Mahjong).
• Jokers can be used in exposures but not to complete singles or pairs.

Arranging Your Tiles

Organizing your tiles effectively can give you a strategic advantage.

Sorting Strategies

• Group by Suit: Arrange tiles by their suits—Craks, Bams, and Dots.
• Identify Potential Hands: Refer to the NMJL or MPRO card to see which hands you might aim for based on your tiles.
• Separate Discards: Place tiles you're likely to discard on one side of your rack.

Planning Ahead

• Flexibility: Be prepared to change your target hand if your draws don't support your initial plan.
• Watch for Multiples: Pairs and triplets can be the foundation of your winning hand.

Discarding a Tile

After drawing a tile and arranging your hand:

• Choose a Tile to Discard: Select a tile that doesn't contribute to your hand.
• Announce the Discard: Place it face-up in the center of the table and clearly state its name (e.g., "Seven Dots").

When discarding, avoid discarding tiles that other players may need. Be sure to pay attention to what others are collecting based on their exposures and discards.

Winning in American Mahjong

Types of Wins

• Self-Picked Win: You draw the winning tile from the wall yourself.
• Called Win: You win by calling a tile discarded by another player.

Concealed Hands

Some hands are marked as "Concealed" on the NMJL or MPRO card. For Concealed Hands, you cannot make any exposures during the game and you can only declare Mahjong on your turn unless the discarded tile completes your hand. Remember to check whether the hand you're aiming for is suppose to concealed or can be exposed. Concealed hands often have higher point values but are harder to achieve.

Declaring Mahjong

Once your hand matches a valid combination on the NMJL card, you can declare "Mahjong." Place all your tiles face-up on the rack for verification. Then other players will check your hand against the NMJL, MPRO, or whatever card you are using to confirm the win is valid.

Points and Payouts in American Mahjong

Scoring in American Mahjong involves calculating points based on the hand's difficulty and any bonuses.

Basic Scoring, Bonus Points, and Payouts

• Hand Value: Each hand on the NMJLor MPRO card has a point value.
• Bonus Points:
• Self-Picked Bonus: If you win by drawing the tile yourself, payouts are often doubled.
• Jokerless Bonus: Winning without using any jokers can also double the payout.

Responsible Discard Rule: The player who discards the tile that completes another player's Mahjong may have to pay double.

Payouts works like so: the Winner receives the hand's point value from the player that discarded the tile or from each player if it is a self-draw.

Remember to familiarize yourself with the specific scoring rules agreed upon before starting the game. By understanding the tiles, mastering the basic rules, and familiarizing yourself with the NMJL or MPRO card, you can enjoy hours of challenging gameplay. Remember to keep an eye on both your hand and your opponents' moves, adapt your strategy as the game unfolds, and most importantly, have fun exploring the depth this classic game has to offer.